Roller shades, or roller blinds as they are sometimes referred to, are commonly mounted on windows for privacy purposes and to limit light intrusion. Modern roller shades typically employ a clutch mechanism that permits the shade to be raised and lowered through pulling on one end of a looped chain or cord and that is received around the clutch. The clutch serves as a mechanism to impart rotational movement to the roller tube of the blind when the chain or cord is pulled in one direction or the other. Typically, the clutch is also utilized to retain the roller tube in a locked position when a desired amount of fabric has been unrolled therefrom. That is, in some instances it will be desirable to “lower” the shade such that its fabric covers the entire window, while in other instances it may be desirable to only cover the upper portion of the window. In either case, once the desired amount of fabric has been unrolled from the roller tube, the clutch assists in maintaining the tube in position without winding or unwinding more fabric until the operator again applies tension to one end of the cord or chain.
The clutch mechanism of a roller shade or blind therefore allows for clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the roller tube upon the application of tension to the blind's cord or chain, while maintaining the tube in position when no, or insufficient, tension is applied. Since the clutch is an integral component of the roller shade, there is a constant need to improve the clutch in order to enhance the experience and operational options available to a user when lowering the shade.